JÉROBOAM WINE OF THE WEEK (29)

As long as the lockdown lasts, we are highlighting a special wine every week that is distributed by a (local) wine merchant and is also easy to order online. Behind the label of the Vinha do Cercado / Branco 2018 / Wine of Portugal lies a remarkable story.

The driving forces behind this Portuguese wine are a Belgian couple: Wim Liekens and Christel Govaerts. Wim and Christel are certainly no strangers to the Flemish wine scene, as they planted the Wijngaard de Langenberg in Kasterlee in 2002. There they made wines based on hybrid varieties such as Bianca, Phoenix and Johanniter in white and Rondo and Regent in red, and their “Kastelse Rode” even appeared on the wine list of upscale restaurants like De Pastorie in Lichtaart and De Watermolen in Kasterlee. Moreover, in 2015 Wim was one of the founders of the non-profit organization “Belgian Winemakers”.

When they traveled to the Portuguese silver coast in 2016, that holiday wasn’t actually focused on wine. They were rather planning to look around here and there for a potential second home opportunity. But sometimes in life, all roads eventually lead to wine, and a year later our duo owned a building plot with adjoining vineyard in Torres Vedras, about 30 kilometers north of Lisbon. “Actually, it was more of a vineyard with an adjoining building plot,” Wim laughs, “because nothing has come of the building plans so far.” The 1.5 ha plot was planted with fifteen-year-old vines, which yielded incredible yields and whose wine was taken to the local cooperative.

Wim and Christel’s first task was to bring the yields back under control through rigorous pruning techniques so that quality could be produced. They then wanted to market that wine under their own label. To do this, they went looking for local winegrowers who had surplus infrastructure and storage space in their facilities that they could use. After visiting about ten estates, the choice eventually fell on the family winegrowers of Félix Rocha and the young oenologist Pedro Marquez of Vale da Capucha.

“We find it important to primarily invest in the vineyard and know-how at this stage,” says Wim.

In the current situation, it’s not a disaster if we need to downsize, and we can easily buy quality grape material if we want to upsize.” In this context, the couple has just purchased another 2 ha vineyard in October, about 5 km from their current location. Their grape palette consists of, among others, Tinta Roriz, Caladoc and Syrah in red, and Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Arinto in white. From these, they make six different cuvées in total. The white 2018 that we’re tasting here is a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Sauvignon and 20% Arinto.

2,500 bottles of the 2018 were produced. In our glass comes a wine with a sustained green-yellow color with deep copper reflections. In the aroma, the Chardonnay gives the nose a good dose of richness. A hint of banana too, and a spicy touch. The taste is characterized by some body, a pleasant citrusy freshness, and a hint of lime. An excellent glass for these spring-like temperatures. Score: A. Price: 9.75 euros / bottle. Distributed by Wijnen De Bleek in Diest. More info via www.wijnendebleek.be#vinhadocercado#branco #2018 #wineofportugal#wimliekens#christelgovaerts#portugal#portugesewijn#wijnendebleek#diest#internationalwinecollege#jeroboamwijnmagazine

Fancy even more wine info? Give yourself a subscription to Jéroboam Wine Magazine as a gift. Transfer 35 euros today (for six issues = 1 issue free) to account no. BE32 0014 6651 4102 of International Wine College, mentioning your email address, and stay informed for a year about everything going on in the world of wine.

This magazine is written by Jéroboam Wine Magazine, has been published since 2011, and is an independent and critical wine magazine without any commercial ties.

Visit the website.